Rattley Catherine A, Ansdell Paul, Armstrong Matthew, Felton Malika, Dewhurst Susan, Yendole Karen, Neal Rebecca A
Department of Rehabilitation and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Health and Social Science, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, UK.
Department of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK.
Physiol Rep. 2025 Aug;13(15):e70503. doi: 10.14814/phy2.70503.
Menopause may contribute to declining aerobic capacity alongside aging; whether this is related to declines in physical activity or alterations in physiology is unclear. This study examined the effect of menopause on maximal and submaximal cardiopulmonary variables in an incremental aerobic capacity assessment in active women. Sixty-nine women, aged between 18 and 60 years, categorized as premenopausal (PRE), late premenopausal (LPRE), perimenopausal (PERI), and postmenopausal (POST) completed a cycle ergometer ramp aerobic capacity test, body composition analysis, and blood hormone testing. Naturally menstruating women were tested in the early follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. One-way ANOVAs were utilized to analyze the effect of menopause phase on outcome variables. Participant groups had similar V̇O, physical activity levels, and endogenous sex hormone profiles (p > 0.05), but POST had lower muscle mass than PRE, LPRE, and PERI (p < 0.05). There were no differences in maximal or submaximal cardiopulmonary variables (p > 0.05). Age and V̇O were not correlated (r = -0.23, p = 0.06). Contrary to prior reports, maintenance of aerobic capacity is possible throughout midlife and menopause in women with high activity levels. Compared to premenopausal and late premenopausal women, perimenopausal and postmenopausal women demonstrated minimal changes in maximal and submaximal cardiopulmonary variables.
绝经可能会随着年龄增长导致有氧能力下降；目前尚不清楚这是否与身体活动减少或生理变化有关。本研究在对活跃女性进行的递增式有氧能力评估中，考察了绝经对最大和次最大心肺变量的影响。69名年龄在18至60岁之间的女性，分为绝经前（PRE）、接近绝经前（LPRE）、围绝经期（PERI）和绝经后（POST），完成了一次蹬车递增式有氧能力测试、身体成分分析和血液激素检测。自然月经周期的女性在月经周期的卵泡早期进行测试。采用单因素方差分析来分析绝经阶段对结果变量的影响。各参与者组的摄氧量、身体活动水平和内源性性激素水平相似（p>0.05），但POST组的肌肉量低于PRE、LPRE和PERI组（p<0.05）。最大或次最大心肺变量无差异（p>0.05）。年龄与摄氧量不相关（r = -0.23，p = 0.06）。与先前的报道相反，高活动水平的女性在中年和绝经期间有可能维持有氧能力。与绝经前和接近绝经前的女性相比，围绝经期和绝经后的女性在最大和次最大心肺变量方面变化最小。
